20th and modern medicine

• In the 20th century, progress built on the discoveries of the 19th century, with advancements like the discovery of penicillin, DNA, and new surgery methods contributing to increases in life expectancy
• Magic bullets were developed following Louis Pasteur’s germ theory and Robert Koch’s work on identifying specific bacteria, aiming to kill germs inside the body without harming healthy human tissue
• Paul Ehrlich and Sahachiro Hata discovered Salvarsan 606, the first magic bullet that could cure people of syphilis, leading to further research into chemicals that could act as magic bullets
• Salvarsan 606 was a key breakthrough, leading to the discovery of Prontosil, an antibacterial drug, and eventually to the development of penicillin
• In the 20th century, progress in medicine built on discoveries of the 19th century, including the discovery of penicillin, DNA, and new surgery methods, contributing to increases in life expectancy
• Before antibiotics, a simple infection could be fatal if it spread throughout the body
• Louis Pasteur’s germ theory and Paul Ehrlich’s discovery of a magic bullet were significant in the search for substances to control the spread of bacteria
• Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish doctor, discovered penicillin in 1928 when he found a mould, Penicillium fungi, that killed Staphylococcus bacteria
• Researchers Howard Florey and Ernst Chain purified penicillin for medical use, leading to the first human trial in 1941
• During World War Two, Florey and Chain mass-produced penicillin with US government funding, revolutionizing the treatment of infections
• Since World War Two, there have been significant developments in new medicines, surgery, and treatments
• DNA, discovered in the 1950s, carries information about how living things look and function
• Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the double helix structure of DNA in 1953
• The discovery of DNA's structure helped researchers understand the causes of some diseases and led to the evolution of a new field of medicine focused on treatments based on DNA
• Modern surgery advances since 1945 include the world's first heart transplant in 1967 by Christiaan Barnard and the first full face transplant in Spain in 2010
• The National Health Service (NHS) is a free health care system in the UK
• Laser surgery has various uses, including eye surgery, cancer treatments, and controlling bleeding
• Keyhole surgery, using microscopic cameras, reduces infection risk and speeds up recovery times
• Mainstream medicine provides treatment and care by trained doctors or nurses, relying on scientific methods to diagnose and treat patients
• New treatments developed since 1945 include in vitro fertilization (IVF) and new vaccines like the HPV vaccine, reducing the chance of developing certain cancers
• Alternative and complementary medicines are treatments and methods not considered mainstream, including acupuncture, yoga, hypnotherapy, and herbal remedies
• Acupuncture involves using needles inserted into specific parts of the body for pain relief
• Yoga consists of exercises and movements believed to improve mental health, strength, and flexibility
• Hypnotherapy uses relaxation and focusing of thoughts to support people with mental health challenges or behavior change, like quitting smoking
• Herbal remedies are taken to address various medical issues, including mental health challenges, pain, or a low immune system
• Antibiotic resistance has emerged with some bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, potentially leading to life-threatening infections
• Causes of antibiotic resistance include patients not completing antibiotic courses, overuse of antibiotics, and antibiotic use in farming
• Superbugs like MRSA are strains of bacteria resistant to important antibiotics, posing a significant challenge in healthcare
• Research is ongoing to discover new antibiotics and ways to combat superbugs to prevent infections from becoming life-threatening again
• During World Wars One and Two, there were many advances in surgery, including plastic surgery and blood transfusions
• The Beveridge Report led to the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 and free health care for all
• During World War One, injuries caused by shrapnel, machine guns, and shell fire led to the development of new surgical methods and treatments
• Harold Gillies, a New Zealand doctor, pioneered new skin graft techniques during World War One
• Francis Derwent Wood, a sculptor, designed and made lifelike facial masks for soldiers with severe facial injuries during World War One
• Innovations in surgery during World War One included:

  • Blood transfusions: sodium citrate was added to packages of blood to allow storage
  • X-rays: Marie Curie played a vital role in getting X-ray units into field hospitals
  • Amputation and prosthetic limbs: new and more sophisticated artificial limbs were designed
• James Edward Hanger, an amputee during the American Civil War, designed a new prosthetic limb that could bend at the knee and ankle, leading to improved prosthetic limbs for wounded soldiers
• After the public health reforms of 1875-1876, the Liberal Party introduced a series of measures at the start of the 20th century to further improve public health
• Charles Booth's research in 1889 revealed that 35% of London's population lived in 'absolute poverty'
• Seebohm Rowntree's investigation in York in 1900 found that people needed to earn 21 shillings a week to stay out of poverty, coining the term 'poverty line' for those earning less
• The 1867 Reform Act extended the vote to more working-class men, leading to the Labour Party entering candidates for the first time in the 1900 general election